HMAS Melbourne, Killer Ship

Unfortunately on the 10th. February 1964 at 2056hrs., HMAS Melbourne, exercising night flying off Jervis Bay in darkness, collided with and sank the destroyer Voyager. Voyager was cut in half with the forward section sinking almost immediately, however the aft section remained afloat for several hours (Photo) before sinking into the dark sea. The death toll was 82 Australian Navy sailors lost.

Following two Royal Commissions into the disaster, naval moral in the RAN sank below the waterline as two Prime Ministers, Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament and Navy & Defense Department officials misled the Australian Public. Naval officers from all ranks drew their ceremonial swords and smote each other in the commissions to protect rank and position at any cost, while in the fleet shame replaced respect. Naval Officers being "Officers and Gentlemen" had their evidence accepted while lesser ranks were sworn in before giving evidence, however many officers blatantly lied to the commissions to protect themselves and "the system". One later became Governor of New South Wales!

Learned councils withheld evidence and lied to the commissions while ironically the death of 82 Australian sailors was of little concern nor consequence. For many years the physical and physiological condition of the survivors was totally ignored by the Navy, Defense Department and the Australian Parliament. Some survivors are still fighting for what they believe is their justice, 40 years after this tragic collision.

(Bow damage after Voyager, 1964)

During the course of SEATO Exercise SEA SPIRIT and in the early hours of 3rd. June 1969, Melbourne and USS Frank E Evans collided in the South China Sea. Within minutes the bow section of the Evans sank with the loss of 74 lives. The aft section was secured to the starboard side of Melbourne and all survivors brought onboard, before it was cast adrift. As tragic as the event was, the crew of Melbourne were nonetheless officially recognised for their subsequent rescue actions by the US government. (Photo taken from an RN frigate just moments after the collision: Melbourne, the smouldering & sinking bow section of Evans and a huge pall of steam from the boilers in the aft section of Evans)

The Melbourne Age on 3rd. June wrote:

"At 4.12 a.m. today Manila time, the Australian carrier HMAS Melbourne was involved in a collision with the U.S. Destroyer USS Frank E. Evans approximately 650 miles south-west of Manila in the South China Sea. Ships were taking part in SEATO exercise Sea Spirit and the exercise has been terminated and the ships reverted to their national commands . . ."

 (Bow damage after Evans, 1969)

Ironically the USS Everett F Larson almost collided with the Melbourne the day before this tragic accident and the Captain onboard Melbourne issued a stern warning to all the American ships to take more care when maneuvering round or near Melbourne. At a subsequent Court Marshall held at Subic Bay, the Captain of Evans was exonerated as "he was in his cabin asleep" and the OOD, officially unqualified to have the bridge of a ship at sea without supervision, "made a deal" whereby he pleaded quality to 3 of 6 charges and received a written reprimand and promotion prospects were reduced by 1000 places. He celebrated the result at the officers club in Subic Bay: "The evening of Friday, 12th. September, the accused (OOD) celebrated his sentence with not only his defense council, but the prosecutor and military judge where the sound of champagne corks popping mingled with the laughter" and both they and the USN promptly forgot the 74 American sailors lost as a result of dereliction of duty and gross incompetence.

In Australia the usual contempt for the Australian Public by politicians was expressed as both the Prime Minister and Minister for the Navy lied about aspects of this disaster to protect the relationship between Australia and the United States of America!

In Singapore it was feared the the CO of Melbourne would be replaced and a buzz started and became so loud that it was noticed: "If the CO does not take Melbourne back to Australia the ship would not be sailing!" The flagship of the Royal Australian Navy was but a hairs breath away from a full blown mutiny!

Night Flying on a totally dark night needs to be understood in the context of visibility - when in close proximately to a danger, although radar is available the "mark one eyeball" is preferred as usually a coordinated response was required and looking into a radar is too distracting. It was usual to have someone call the radar ranges. The images below (depending on the bearing there would be variations of these images) are what another vessel would see when maneuvering round an aircraft carrier.